Shaker for a commodity



' Dec. 18, 1956 s. E. MILLER SHAKER FOR A COMMODITY Filed NOV 8, 1952 Afl ' INVENTOR. 5. EDWARD /V/LLR ATTO NEY United States Patent SHAKER FOR A COMMODITY Solomon Edward Miller, Gary, Ind.

Application November 8, 1952, Serial No. 319,451

9 Claims. (Cl. 222-39) This invention relates generally to dispensing devices and more particularly to al shaker for a condiment, such as salt or pepper.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device embodying improved principles of design and construction.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a shaker comprising an outer pistol-like member and an inner pistol-like container member pivotally mounted in the outer member, with an actuator or trigger for actuating the container to dispense a commodity therefrom.

A significant object of the invention is to provide a shaker preferably in the form of a pistol in which the commodity to be dispensed can be dispensed only when the shaker is held in any position within a predetermined range of movement. More specifically in this respect,

the arrangement is such that when the shaker is positioned on a support such as a table or counter, manipulation of the trigger will not permit release of the commodity but when the barrel of the shaker is pointed downwardly toward food to be seasoned or flavored, manipulation of the trigger will allow and control the ow of Ithe com` modity in quantities desired.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a device simulating a pistol lwhich may be utilized as a toy to produce noise irrespective of its use as a shaker.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device in which the handle of the outer member Yis comprised of a pair of complementary parts which are constructed and arranged to facilitate assembly of the inner and outer members of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shaker device preferably comprised of moulded plastic corresponding components or elements to facilitate assembly and produce costs of manufacture and' at the same time alleviate the problem of corrosion. Y

Many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent after the description hereinafter set forth is considered in conjunction with the drawings annexed hereto.

In the drawings wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is exemplified:

Figure 1 is a front end elevational view of the shaker device;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the device;

Figure 3 is a rear end elevational view thereof;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the outer pistol-like member and showing one position of the container therein;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the container in another position;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken through the device shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 7 is a bottom end View of the handle portion of the device.

Referring to the drawings, numeral 1 generally designates an outer hollow pistol-like member having a barrel 2, a handle 3 and a trigger guard 4. Numeral 5 generally abutmentn means kon'the innerf member. isforcibly struck. againstA the outermember considerable noise will be prot@l designates an inner hollow pistol-like member having a 2 and handle 3 of the outer member 1. The butt 7 of the inner member serves as a container for a commodity, such as salt, and will be described in detail subsequently.

The outer member is preferably moulded from a desirable plastic material and to facilitate its construction andassembly of the inner member therewith, its rear extremity is open. When the inner member is assembled with the outer member, the open rear extremity is permanently closed bya cover 8 seated therein. This cover is complementary to the outer member and forms a part of its rear extremity.

Thehandle of the outer member is preferably formed with a base 9 of a suiicient size to support the device uplright on a table or counter with the barrel 2 in a horizontal position. The base is open so as to afford access to the container 7 of the inner member.

The forward portion of the outer member adjacent the junction between its barrel and handle is provided with an aperture 10 at the rear of the trigger guard 4 and the free end of the barrel 2 is provided with an oblong clearance hole 11 through which the barrel 6 of the inner member extends. v

The inner member is preferably moulded from plastic and is provided with a trigger 12 formed integrally with the barrel 6 and butt 7 for reenforcing the inner member. This trigger projects forwardly through the aperture 10 in the outer member and a pivot 13 extends through the barrel ofthe outer member and through the forward portion of the trigger for pivotally connecting the members together. Since the portion of the trigger through which the pivot extends is formed on the barrel 6 it can be said,

in one sense, that the barrels of the members are pivotallyV reference'to Figure i5. of the drawing. The upper ex-` rtrerrrityv ofthe butt 7 is preferably provided with abutment means 14 which isl adapted Vto strike or .bangjfagainst fthe upper portion of the barrel 2 as shown in FigureA 5 when, the trigger, is actuated. Obviously abutment means canbe formed on some other part of the butt, andiffound 'A desirable, abutment means `can be, provided on the. outer member for engaging abutment means on the inner mernber.A `The arrangement is `preferably such thatwhenwthe duced to simulate the firing of a pistol. This movement of the inner member also serves to agitate the commodity and keep it in a loose condition so that it can flow freely through apertures 15, provided in a partition 16 preferably located at the junction between the barrel 6 and butt container 7.

The lower extremity of the container 7 is sealed oif by a closure 17 secured in the container and the closure is provided with a reiill opening normally'closed by a removable plug 18 which is Aaccessible throughv the open base 'of the handle 3.

In view of the foregoing description it will be manifest that when the device is supported on a table or in the hand in an upright position or is pointed upwardly, no icondiment will be released when the trigger is pressed. In such positions the inner member canV be repeatedly actuated to produce a banging noise like the tiring of a pistol. However, when the device is pivoted downwardly at an appropriate angle toward food to be seasoned and the inner member is actuated, the condiment will pass throughY the` apertures and* out through the barrel 6.

Having thus described myinvention it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the same withoutY departing from the spirit of the invention as'- denedin the appended claims.

I'claim:A Y

1. A- device` of the kind described comprising a hollow outermember, a hollow non-collapsible inner container member mounted for movement in the outer member, saidV inner container member being provided with a passage tol permit dispensing of a commodity therefrom, and an actuator carried by oneofthe members for actuating the innercontainer member.

2. The devicedeined in claim l in which the bottom of the inner container memberis provided with a refill aperture and the bottom of the outer member is provided with an entrancel openingto permita'ccess to the aperture.

3. A device of the kind described comprising a hollow outer member provided with an opening, a hollow rigid container member mounted for movementV in the outer member and having a tubular portion disposed in the opening, said container member being formed to permit release oi? a commodity from the container out through the tubular portion only when the device is tipped so that the tubular portion is pointed downwardly, and an actuator carried by theY inner member for actuating the container member.

4. A device of the kind described comprising a hollow outer member having a handle and a barrel, said handle having a base wall for supporting the device on a mounting so that the barrel will assume a substantially horizontal position, a hollow rigidV inner member mounted for pivotal movement in the inner member and having a container arranged in the handle and a tube arranged in the barrel, said inner'member being formed so that a commodity when placed therein may flow into the tube of the inner member from the container only when the tube is pointed downwardly, and an actuator carried by one of the members for actuating the inner member.

5. A device of the kind described comprising a hollow rigid outer member having a handle and a tube, said handle having a base wall for supporting the device on a mounting so that the tube will assume a substantially' horizontal position, a hollow rigid inner member mounted for pivotalmovement in the inner member and having a butt and a rigid tube respectively arranged in the handle and tube of the outer member, abutment means on one of the members, and an actuator carried by one of the members in a manner'whereby the inner member maybe forcibly moved to produce noise when the abutment means and one of the members are brought into engage ment.

6. A device of the kind described comprising a hollow rigid outer pistolalike member having. a handle and a barrel, a hollow rigid inner pistol-like member having a butt and a barrel respectively arrangedA in the handleand barrel of the outer member, said inner member being of size somewhat smaller than the outer member to permit movement of the inner member in the outer member, an apertured partition provided in the inner member adjacent the junction between the barrel and butt, and a trigger carried by the inner member for actuating the inner member.

7. A device ofthe kindV described comprising a hollow rigid outer pistol-like member having a handle and a barrel, a hollow rigid inner pistol-like member having a butt and a barrel respectively arranged in the handle and barrel of the outer member, said inner member being of size somewhat smaller than the outer member to permit movement oi the inner member in the outer member, and a trigger carried by the inner member cooperable with the inner member for actuating the inner member.

8. A device of the kind described comprising a hollow rigid outer pistol-like member having a handle andv a barrel, a hollow rigid inner pistol-like member having a butt and aK barrel respectively arranged in the handle and barrel'ofthe outer member, said butt constituting a containerfor a commodity adapted to be dispensed outwardly through the barrel of the inner member, said inner member being of size somewhat smaller than the outer member to permit movement of the inner member in the outer member, and a trigger carried by the inner member for actuating the inner member, the arrangement being such that' actuation of the inner member will allow release of a commodity only when the device is held within a predeterminedrangc of movement.

9`. A device of the kind described comprising a hollow outer member having a barrel portion and a handle portion oiiset from the barrel portion, a hollow non-collapsible inner member having an elongated portion and an oiset container portion respectively disposed in the barrel portion and handle portion of the outer member, the elongated' portion ofv saidV inner member being provided with a passage communicating with the interior of the container and servingv tovpermit discharge of a commodity from the container, and an actuator carried by one of the members for actuating the inner member.

References' Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 293,437 Ellis Feb. 12, 1884 1,085,472 Parker Jan. 27, 1914 1,629,019' Cohn Maj,r 17, 1927 2;146,487 Schroeder Feb. 7, 1939 2,424,045 Millstein July 15, 1947 2,629,516 Badharn Feb. 24, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 637,600 France May 3, 1928 

